Concealable partitions



July 12, 1960 M. GRECO coucmmswpmmous 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17,1959 INILNI'OR Mic MFA GWEcO i ATTDR EY 1 2,944,282 CONCEALABLEPARTITIONS Michael Grace, 42 w. 13th s New' York, NY.

Filed Aug. 1119593. No. 834,058 Claims (31. 16-87) This inventionrelates to partitions used to form a temporarywall thereby dividing asingle large room into two smaller rooms. 1

It is an object of this invention to provide jam proof slidingpartitions forming a wall.

It is a further object to provide an improved ceiling track for theguidance and storage of said sliding partitions.

It is another object to provide improved ceiling track means andimproved floor track means for facilitating the jam proof storage ofsaid partitions.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent uponreading the following descriptive disclosure taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing in which; 1

Fig. 1 is an end view of Fig. 4 showing three wall partitions, brokenaway in part disposed in storage, one of said doors being in transversesection to show the roller means for supporting the weight of the dooradjacent a floor guidance track and to show-the T-sha-ped ceiling guideused to captively hold the top of the partition in the ceiling tracks.and to guide the :top of the partition during the process of storing thepartition into predetermined stalls,

Fig. 2 is a side view of a pair of partitions, broken away in part,showing the varying height of the pair of T-ceiling guide bars' and-thepair of floor guide lugs used for each respective door, 1

' Fig. 3 is a section view of the holder block showing angle to thesingle floor track, v v Fig. 6 is a top view of a modified floor turningblock for shunting partitions from a single track into storage stallsdisposed parallel to the single track and used in coraction with asimilar ceiling block,

.-Fig. 7 is anend view of a modified ceiling turning block, showing themanner of constructing the block from suitable larninated plates insteadof milling it out of a single piece of metal,

Fig. 8 is asection view of a modified floor turning block showing themanner of construction used in lieu of a single suitably groovedmetal'block, f

Fig.. 9 is a perspectivefview of a'wedge used in the modified turningblock of Fig. 8. v

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the ceiling track. Turning to thedrawing, and. particularly to Figs-l and 2, the individual and separatepartitionsll) are each provided with a pair of T-guide bars 1-1 disposedj in spaced-apart relationship in the top edge of the partitions andalso with a pair of spaced-apart floor guide lugs 12 for traveling in afloor track 13. 4

Each'pair of T-guide bars 11 of a partition is captively held in itsrespective T-shaped ceiling channel. The height of the T-guide bar ofthe partitions varies with the separate partitions.

Where three storage stalls are employed, the heights of'the pairs or"T-bars on the three partitions varies so as Patented July 12, 1960 ice ion the top of the respective partitions is a respective pair of lugs 12disposed directly beneath the bars 11. The heights of the pairs of lugs12 for each partition varies so that where three storage stalls areemployed three pairs of lugs heights are used, one height for eachpartition.

All the lugs of all the partitions travel in a suitably deep floor track13 separating the room to be partitioned.

However, the separate partitions 10 are routed to predetermined storagestalls by va floor routing block 14 co-acting with the respective pairsof lugs 12 of varying heights in conjunction with a co-acting ceilingrouting block 15M co-acting with the respective pairs of T- guide bars11 of a respective partition 10.

Routing block 14 and 15M are each preferably integral metal blockshaving suitable grooves milled therein by conventional machine tools.The ceiling block 15M is disposed directly over its co-acting floorblock 14- to facilitate turning of the separate partitions into theirrespective storage stalls.

Where two partitions are each provided with T-guide bars 11 of the sameheight and with suitable co-acting lugs 12 of the same heightor depth,then in this instance two partitions are routed to a suitable storagereceiving available behind the wall 19. However, each stall 15 themanner of supporting the weight of the door on the and 16 and 17 has asuitable top groove adapted to re ceive a respective pair of T-bars 11therein and a suitable bottom co-acting groove adapted to receive arespective pair of lugs -12. The T-bars 1.1 are integral elements havingan oval or round head plate 20 integral with a stem 21 of suitablelength. The stem 21 is disposed slidingly in an aperture plate 22secured by screws over a suitably deep cavity 23 in the top edge of eachpartition. The purpose of the platen is to prevent wear of the cavity 23and may be omitted if desired.

The lugs 12 are part of an integral U-shapedyoke 24 whereinthe lug 12 isa leg of the yoke given a p re-determined height or depth sothat it mayfrictionally engage pre-determined curved surfaces in the jfloor turningblock 1'4. The yoke 24 is provided with an integral spindle 25; Asupport 26 having an integral pair of parallel plates 27 and 28 issecured within a suitable cavity in'the bottom edge of the partition 10.a

As shown in Fig.' 3, the plate 27 is provided with an aperture toslidingly recei'vethe mom threaded top of spindle 25. The spindle ZS isprovided with a threaded wide portion 25X disposed in a threadedaperture provi'ded in plate 28. I

. A spring 29 may be disposed on the wide portion 25X andagainst thebottom surface of plate 27. Preferably a' locking pin 30 is disposed ina suitable transverse aperture in the top of the spindle 25. The legs 12and 33 of the yoke 24 are each provided with suitable apertures andawheel 31 and axle 32. is jouinaled therein.

it groove 13. l

" Preferably the ceiling rail 40 is of extruded metal, for

example, aluminum alloy, but it may be made by suitably laminating metalsheet stock (Fig. 7).

The ceiling track 48 mates with the ceiling block 15M so that thechannel grooves of the track 40 continue without interruption into block15M.

In block 15M the separated parallel disposed head receiving channelshave a common channel stem 41 mating with the different levels in track40. These composite channels are separated in block 15M into individualchannels for use of T-bars having a common height. Thus all the stems ofthe T-bars ride in the stem channel 41 of the ceiling groove but onlystems 21 of predetermined height ride in the predetermined stallchannels.

The floor block 14- is preferably made from a single block of metal bymilling out a groove of a common width at three diiferent heights atpro-selected locations. Thus groove 42 is a continuation of groove 13 ofthe floor and receives all lugs 12X, 12Y and 12Z. The groove 42 ismilled in a suitable curve through 90 degrees to give the groove leadingto stall 16. At a suitable point directly in line with the floor groove13, the milling cutter is raised and a curved groove 43 of less depththan groove 42 is cut in the block 14. Next the milling cutter is raisedagain to cut a third groove 44 of least height and adapted to receivethe shortest lug 12X. Clearly groove 43 receives lug IZY and groove 42receives lug 122.

In operation the lugs 12X of the partition X ride without opposition orhitting an obstruction to rub against the outer wall of groove 44 and torout the partition 10X to stall 17 having the stall groove of leastdepth. However the lugs 12X hit the outer wall of groove 43' at point4-5 and are turned into groove 43 and thence into stall 16 of similarintermediate groove depth. Partition ltlZ has its lugs 12Z engage theouter wall of groove 42 at the turning point 46 thereby directing thepartition NZ to stall 15.

As shown in Fig. 8, the floor block X may be made by cutting the blockwith curved grooves of uniform depth 42 and thereafter inserting wedge47 of suitable height 48 into a middle groove and wedge 49 of height 50in the extreme outer groove. In any event the floor turning block hasthree grooves at diiferent levels'leading to a common groove which matesin height with the floor groove 13.

Similarly the ceiling block 15M is preferably an integral block providedwith suitable T-shaped spacedapart T-curved grooves at different levelsmeeting to form a common ceiling groove having separate channels for theT-elements of the T-bars 11.

Thus a T-bar head of T-bar 11X disposed in undercut channel 51 of thecomposite channel is slidingly routed to a separate channel 51X andthence into a stall track having a groove of 51X configuration disposeddirectly over floor stall track 17. Similarly channel 52 of thecomposite groove of element 4-0 is separated at a different level togivethe separate T-groove 52X of intermediate height to receive T-bar 1 1Y(Fig. l).

Groove 52X connects to a like groove inthe ceiling directly over floorstall l6. Lastly channel 53 of the composite rail 40 is separated inceiling block 15M into a separate channel 53X which is of greatest stemheight andadapted to receive T-bar llZ.

The cutting out of the metal from the ceiling block IBM is done in themanner described for the floor block 14 using conventional millingtools, but in the case of the ceiling block 15M undercutting mill toolsare used to provide the recessed channels 51, 52 and 53.

The ceiling block may optionally be made by use of suitablelaminations-(Fig. 7) wherein suitable plates are separated by suitable spacers 55,the distance between a.

pair of opposed spacers being suitable to receive respective stem heads.

Clearly this invention is of generic scope and not limited to theillustrative embodiments.

I claim: I

l. A ceiling routing block adapted to receive T-guide bars of varyingheights disposed in the top of respective partitions consistingessentially of an integral block having a composite inlet channel"opening having spacedapart parallel channels and a common stem channelcommunicating with separate channels of vaiying depth corresponding tothe heights of the T'-bars and which curvingly merge into said compositechannel whereby partitions having T-guide bars of varying pre-determinedheights disposed in said composite channel are sorted into separateindividual channels of varying depth disposed in parallel relationship.

2. A floor routing block for routing lugs of varying length at the baseof a wall partition consisting essentially of an integral block havingan incoming channel adapted to receive all lug lengths communicatingwith respective outgoing channels of pro-determined depths correspondingto the varying lengths of the routing 'lugs, a wall of each of theseparated channels curvingly merging into the incoming channel to form asliding surface for predetermined lug lengths.

3. A concealable wall apparatus comprising a plurality of verticallydisposed and separately movable partitions; a pair of spaced-apartT-bars disposed in the top edge of each of said partitions, the T-barsof one partition varying in height from the T-bars of other partitions;a pair of spaced-apart roller means disposed in the bottom edge of eachof said partitions adapted to support the Weight of the partition on therollers, each of said roller means having a U-shaped yoke having adepending lug of predetermined length, the depending lugs of onepartition varying in length with the depending lugs of other partitions;a ceiling guide rail having spaced-apart horizontally disposed channelscommunicating with a centrally disposed vertical channel, said T-bars ofvarying length of said partitions being disposed in respective receivinghorizontally disposed channels of said ceiling guide'rail; a floor guiderail having a single vertically disposed channel adapted to receive thedepending lugs of all of said roller means; a ceiling routing blockengaging said ceiling guide rail and adapted to transfer partitionshaving T-bars of uniform height. into stalls adapted to receive saiduniform height T-bars, and a floor routin'g block disposed directlybelow said ceiling block and adapted'to transfer partitions having lugsof uniform length into stalls adapted to receivesaid uniform" lengthlugs.

4. The. apparatus of claim 3 wherein the ceiling routing block hasincoming spaced-apart horizontally disposed channels communicating witha centrally disposed er tical channel in registration with correspondingchannels in said ceiling guide rail, said ceiling routing block havingspaced Tsh'aped grooves of varying depth each merging at one end withsaid incoming channels, said T-shaped. grooves coacting with said T-barsof varying height for routing the top edge of said partitions intoseparated parallel disposed stalls;

5. The apparatus of claim 4'wherein the floor routing block is providedwith an incoming channel of extended depth at one end, said incomingchannel beingin registration with the channel of the floor guide rail,said floor routing block having spaced-apart grooves of varying depthemerging at the other end, said grooves co-acting with said lugs ofcorresponding varying length for routing the bottom edge of saidpartitions into separated parallel disposed floor stalls, said groovesof said floor block merging into said incoming channel in said floorblock.

Reterences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES P ATENTS2,072,092 Blodgett Mar. 2, 1937 Men-1.. wean-u,

